Clasp for garment-supporters.



No. 769,875. PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

G. E. PRENTIGE.

CLASP FOR GARMENT SUPPORTERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1904.

NU MODEL.

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PATENT EETcE.

GEORGE E. PRENTICE, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRAUT AND HINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CON NECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

CLASP FOR GARMENT-SUPPORTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 769,875, dated September 13, 1904.

Application filed May 18, 1904. Serial No. 208,622. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. PRENTIOE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps for Garment- Supporters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to clasps for garmentsupporters such as embodyapivoted lockinglever having two arms, one of which is provided with a garment-holding edge and the other of which constitutes an operatinghandle, the objects of the invention being to provide a simple, cheap, and efficient clasp adapted to hold smooth and thin fabric without danger of tearing or abrading the same.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be now described, and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a section taken centrally of a clasp embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the preferred form of locking-lever. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the preferred form of body portion of the clasp. Figs. 4: and 5 are detail perspective views of the non-abrasive inserts for the body and lever, respectively.

Like letters in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The letter A indicates the body of the clasp, which may be struck up from sheet metal, as is usual in this class of devices, and in the particular form adopted for illustrating the present invention the body is provided with forwardly-projecting side arms or cars a, in which the locking-lever is pivotally mounted.

Any usual or preferred form of pivotal connection may be formed between the lockinglever and body of the clasp or buckle, and, as shown, the locking-lever is provided with pintles or studs 6, projecting from a point in proximity to the angle between the arms B and B of the lever, such pintles being adapted to enter bearings or apertures in the ears of the body portion. The arm B of the lockinglever constitutes a handle or piece by which the lever is manipulated, while the arm B constitutes a retainer for an insert C, of nonabrasive material, the edge of which forms the holding or fabric-engaging edge of the locking-lever. This insert is preferably of celluloid, which it is found may be made to grip the fabric with great pressure without danger of tearing or abrading the same; but other substances having like characteristics will at once suggest themselves. It is preferably held in place in the locking-lever in a pocket formed by doubling the end B of the locking-lever back on itself and forming an opening in the bend, through which the edge 0 of theinsert projects.

The insert is preferably put in place from the rear and is retained and held pressed forward by contact with the arm B of the lever, although it will be understood that other means for retaining the insert may be employed. For instance, the outer edge of the insert may be made thick or beaded, as at c, to prevent it from pushing back in the pocket, as well as to provide a wide edge for contact with the fabric of the garment.

To afford additional strength or to brace the insert, the metal of the locking-lever is extended down on the outside of the insert to a point close to the holding edge, as shown clearly at B in Fig. 1, and the insert has end extensions 0 around which the doubled portions of the lever pass.

As a preferred though not an essential feature of the construction the body of the clasp or buckle is provided with ashoulder extending across from side to side for cooperation with the edge of the locking-lever in holding the fabric, such shoulder also, preferably, being formed by an insert F, of celluloid or other non-abrasive material. preferably of the form shown in Fig. 5, and it is adapted to be seated in a recess G in the This insert is Y frame and held by the ear or lug H, which is bent over the insert, so as to lie between the projections f, whereby the insert is held rigidly, and its exposed edge will form a shoulder for deflecting the fabric or behind which the fabric will be pushed by the holding edge of the locking-lever.

Obviously the invention is applicable to clasps and buckles of any type adapted for garment-supporters and wherein a pivoted locking-lever is provided with a holding edge for pressing a fabric against the body portion of the device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a clasp for garment-supporters, the combination with the body of the clasp, and a locking-lever pivotally connected therewith and having two arms, one forming a handle and the other a fabric-holding arm, of an insert of non-abrasive material clamped in the holding-arm of the lever and having its edge projecting beyond the edge of the lever to contact with the fabric held by the body of the clasp; substantially as described.

2. In a clasp for garment-supporters, the combination with the body of the clasp and a locking-lever pivotally connected therewith and having two arms, one forming a handle and the other a fabric-holding arm, of an insert of non-abrasive material mounted on the side of the holding-arm, with its edge projecting beyond the edge of the arm to contact with the fabric held by the clasp, a portion of the said lever being bent to embrace and retain the insert in place; substantially as described.

3. In a clasp for garment-supporters, thecombination of the body of the clasp, a locking-lever pivotally connected therewith and having two arms at an angle to each other, one a handle-arm and the other a fabric-holding arm, the latter having a pocket formed therein by bending the end of the arm back on itself, an insert of non-abrasive material mounted in said pocket and having a fabricengaging edge projecting out of the pocket and beyond the edge of the arm and projections for retaining the insert in the pocket; substantially as described.

4. In a clasp for garment-supporters, the combination of the body of the clasp, a locking-lever pivotally connected therewith and having two arms at an angle to each other, one a handle-arm and the other a fabric-holding arm, and a non-abrasive insert clamped to the holding-arm, said insert having a beaded edge; substantially as described.

5. In a clasp for garment-supporters, the body, alocking-lever pivotally connected with the body and having two arms at an angle to each other, one a handle-arm and the other a fabricholding arm, and non-abrasive inserts in the body and holding-arm, the edges of said inserts forming cooperating fabricholding shoulders; substantially as described.

GEORGE E. PRENTICE. 

